63 PROJECT MANAGEMENT TIPS-PART THREE

Delivery Planning

1. Create a work breakdown structure (WBS) for the project. A WBS is a key element you will need to develop your plan. It lists out all of the activities you will need to undertake to deliver the project. Post it notes can be a great help in developing your WBS.

2. Group tasks under different headings (HLA network-high level achievements network can be a great help) once you have a list. This will enable you to identify the chunks of work that need to be delivered, as well as put together the Gantt chart and milestone chart.

3. Identify dependencies (or predecessors) of all activities. This will let you put together the Gantt and milestone charts. Ensure you write them down otherwise you are trying to carry potentially hundreds of options in your head. Estimate how long each activity will take. Be aware that research points out we are notoriously bad at estimating. You estimate a task will take 3 days. Identify how confident you are that you can deliver in 3 days by using % e.g. I’m only 40% certain I can deliver in 3 days. You should aim for 80%. If you do not believe you can achieve 80% then re-calculate. Remember the previous article about estimating.

4. Identify the critical path for the project. The critical path identifies those activities which have to be completed by the due date in order to complete the project on time. 

5. Communicate, communicate, communicate! Delivering a project effectively means you need to spend time communicating with a wide range of individuals. Build a communication plan and review it regularly and include it in your Gantt chart.

6. Are you involved in a major change project? If you are, think through the implications of this on key stakeholders and how you may need to influence and communicate with them.

7. Conduct Risk Assessment – carry out a full risk analysis and document it in a risk register. Regularly review each risk to ensure you are managing them, rather than them managing you. Appoint a person to manage each risk. Be cautious-project sponsors and stakeholders don't like risk assessment. You must be careful and do this assessment with tact.

8. Develop a Gantt chart and use it to monitor progress against the plan and to involve key stakeholders in the communications process.

9. Draw up a milestone plan. These are stages in the project. You can use the milestone dates to check the project is where it should be. Review whether activities have been delivered against the milestone dates and take a look forward at what needs to be achieved to deliver the next milestone.

10. Develop your project management plan and supporting plans (procurement plan, contract plan, safety plan, quality plan) using the Broadbrush plan as a base.

11. Present your project management plan to the project sponsor and stakeholders and get their approval of the plan.